M T G · L A N D
Land Cycle

Pain Lands (Ice Age Painlands)

10 lands
First: ICE

ETB untapped, tap for either color but deal 1 damage when tapped for colored mana. Originally from Ice Age + Apocalypse.

Cycle Total
$5.34
Cheapest
$0.21
Avg Per Card
$0.53

All 10 Pain Lands cards

Llanowar Wastes
Llanowar Wastes
BGC
Untapped
dsc $0.45
Sulfurous Springs
Sulfurous Springs
BRC
Untapped
eoc $0.99
Karplusan Forest
Karplusan Forest
RGC
Untapped
eoc $0.42
Underground River
Underground River
UBC
Untapped
c16 $1.40
Yavimaya Coast
Yavimaya Coast
UGC
Untapped
soc $0.32
Shivan Reef
Shivan Reef
URC
Untapped
eoc $0.31
Caves of Koilos
Caves of Koilos
WBC
Untapped
soc $0.52
Brushland
Brushland
WGC
Untapped
fic $0.42
Battlefield Forge
Battlefield Forge
WRC
Untapped
tdc $0.21
Adarkar Wastes
Adarkar Wastes
WUC
Untapped
tdc $0.30

What is a pain lands cycle?

Pain lands — the 10-card cycle originally from Ice Age (1995) and Apocalypse (2001) — are nonbasic dual lands that ETB untapped, tap for either color, but deal 1 damage to you when used for colored mana. They also tap for 1 colorless mana with no damage, which is occasionally relevant for artifact decks. The damage adds up over a long game (1-3 life per turn in a 3-color deck), but the upside of always-untapped dual mana on turn 1 makes them the staple budget alternative to original duals and shock lands. They’re heavily reprinted (10+ printings across multiple sets) and consistently $2–$8 each. In Pioneer and Commander, pain lands are foundational; in Modern they’re outclassed by shocks but still see budget play.

Players also call them Ice Age painlands, Apocalypse pain lands. All names refer to the same 10 cards.

The cycle debuted in ICE.

Pain Lands FAQ

What is a pain lands cycle?
Pain lands — the 10-card cycle originally from Ice Age (1995) and Apocalypse (2001) — are nonbasic dual lands that ETB untapped, tap for either color, but deal 1 damage to you when used for colored mana. They also tap for 1 colorless mana with no damage, which is occasionally relevant for artifact decks. The damage adds up over a long game (1-3 life per turn in a 3-color deck), but the upside of always-untapped dual mana on turn 1 makes them the staple budget alternative to original duals and shock lands. They’re heavily reprinted (10+ printings across multiple sets) and consistently $2–$8 each. In Pioneer and Commander, pain lands are foundational; in Modern they’re outclassed by shocks but still see budget play.
How many lands are in the Pain Lands cycle?
The Pain Lands cycle has 10 lands, first printed in ICE.
How much does the Pain Lands cycle cost?
Buying the complete Pain Lands cycle costs about $5.34 based on the cheapest English printing of each land.
What's the cheapest land in the Pain Lands cycle?
Battlefield Forge is the cheapest at about $0.21.
What's the most expensive land in the Pain Lands cycle?
Underground River is the most expensive at about $1.40.
What other names are used for pain lands?
Players also call them Ice Age painlands, Apocalypse pain lands. The cycle name and its nicknames all refer to the same 10 cards.
Are pain lands worth the 1 damage?
In Pioneer and Modern yes — untapped turn-1 mana is worth far more than 1 life. In Commander where you start at 40 life and don’t race, the life cost is essentially free.
Can I use a pain land for colorless mana?
Yes — tapping a pain land for colorless mana avoids the 1 damage. This makes them flexible in artifact decks that often need colorless instead of color.
Are pain lands legal in Modern?
The Apocalypse pain lands (Caves of Koilos, Llanowar Wastes, Yavimaya Coast, Shivan Reef, Battlefield Forge) are Modern-legal. The Ice Age allied-color pain lands (Karplusan Forest, Sulfurous Springs, Underground River, Adarkar Wastes, Brushland) are Legacy / Commander / Vintage only.